The present invention relates to a combination confinement and bark inhibitor system that is selectable between a confinement mode, a remote training mode, and a combined confinement and remote training mode.
Animal confinement systems are known. These systems typically include a wire that is buried beneath the ground or positioned above the ground to define an area in which it is desired to confine one or more animals or keep one or more animals away from. The confinement wire is connected to a transmitter that operates at a predetermined frequency. A receiver, tuned to the transmitter frequency, is fitted to each animal to be kept within or away from the confinement area. Typically, each receiver is attached to a collar that is worn by an animal. A stimulator unit, also fitted to the animal, is electrically associated with the receiver and administers a stimulus to the animal as it nears the confinement wire (i.e., the edge of the confinement boundary). The stimulus can be in a variety of forms including an audio signal, an electrical shock, both an audio signal and electrical shock, a spray, a mechanical stimulus, etc. The audio stimulus is typically either a beep or a prerecorded message. The electrical shock is typically administered via a pair of probes that are in contact with skin of the animal so that an electrical potential difference across the probes delivers a shock to the animal. In some systems, the level of electrical stimulus delivered to the animal increases if the animal continues to approach the wire. However, the intensity of the electrical stimulus is kept within tolerable limits in order to reduce the likelihood of physical or psychological injury to the animal.
Bark inhibitors or limiters are known. These devices typically include a sensor that detects barking and/or whining and administers a corrective stimulus to the animal in response to this undesired activity. This stimulus can be in a variety of forms including an audio signal, an electrical signal, both audio and electrical signals, a spray, a mechanical stimulus, etc. The audio stimulus may have the above-described characteristics of audio signals for confinement systems. In addition, the electrical stimulus may increase if the animal does not stop barking or whining. Furthermore, the intensity of the stimulus is limited, as discussed above.
It is often desirable to be able to both confine one or more animals as well as keep those animals from barking or whining. Currently, this requires the purchase and use of two different systems, a separate confinement system and a separate bark inhibitor or limiter system. The use of two separate systems is expensive because of the presence of such things as two separate collars and stimulator units. Furthermore, use of two separate systems is time consuming because one receiver and stimulator unit must be removed and replaced with another in order to change between modes, unless the animal is to wear both collars at the same time.
The present invention provides a combined animal confinement and bark inhibitor system that includes some or all of the above-described features associated with current separate confinement systems and bark inhibitors or limiters. An embodiment of the present invention includes a confinement circuit, a sensor, a stimulation device, and a controller. The confinement circuit is tuned to receive a confinement transmitter signal and output a confinement control signal in response to receipt of the confinement transmitter signal. The sensor detects vibration of vocal cords of the animal or audible sounds from the animal and outputs a sensor control signal in response to either vibration of the vocal cords of the animal or audible sounds from the animal. The stimulation device administers a stimulus to the animal. The controller is associated with the confinement circuit, sensor, and stimulation device. The controller is configured to selectively enable the stimulator to administer the stimulus to the animal in response to the confinement control signal, the sensor control signal, or both the confinement control signal and sensor control signal.
The controller may include a microprocessor, a microcontroller, or a decoder. The system may additionally include structure for fitting the stimulation device to the animal. The fitting structure may include a collar.
The corrective stimulus may be an electrical signal, an audio signal, a spray, or a mechanical stimulus. The mechanical stimulus may include tightening of a collar fitted to the animal.
The confinement transmitter signal may activate the stimulation device to keep the animal within an area, keep the animal away from an object, or keep the animal away from an area. In this embodiment, the controller may be further configured to increase in intensity level of the stimulus administered to the animal as the distance between the animal and a boundary of the area decreases or a distance between the animal and the object decreases. The stimulus may be an electrical signal having a voltage magnitude that is increased to increase the intensity level of the stimulus. The system may further include either a wire or at least one transducer that transmits the confinement transmitter signal.
The sensor may include a bark inhibitor. In this embodiment, the controller may be further configured to increase an intensity level of the stimulus administered to the animal after expiration of a predetermined period of time where the sensor control signal is still output by the sensor. This corrective stimulus may be an electrical signal having a voltage magnitude that is increased to increase the intensity level of the corrective stimulus.
The stimulation device may include at least one probe that delivers an electrical signal to the animal as the corrective stimulus.
The controller may be further configured so that the confinement control signal overrides the sensor control signal during substantially simultaneous occurrence of the confinement control signal and the sensor control signal. Alternatively, the controller may be further configured so that the sensor control signal overrides the confinement control signal during substantially simultaneous occurrence of the confinement control signal and the sensor control signal. Additionally, the controller may be further configured to enable the stimulation device to administer the corrective stimulus for a predetermined period of time to prevent over-stimulation of the animal.
The system may further include a magnetic switch associated with the controller. In this embodiment, the controller is configured by activating the magnetic switch to enable the stimulation device to administer the stimulus to the animal in response either only the confinement control signal, only the sensor control signal, or both the confinement control signal and the sensor control signal.
The system may additionally include a housing in which the sensor, stimulation device, and controller are disposed.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.